Partners
by AlyssaLucyAnne
Summary: This is a post-episode one shot for Dreamworld, it contains spoilers for both episodes!


_I'll be in every beat of your heart, when you face the unknown. _

_Never alone_

Alexis was with him when she arrived back at his room. Pi and Martha were nowhere to be seen and Castle and Alexis were laughing about some joke he had just told her.

She took a step back, moving away from the window and sat down on the bench next to his room. She leaned her head against the wall behind her and took a deep breath, her heart was still beating way too fast. She closed her eyes for a moment, just focusing on breathing and relaxing every single muscle in her body, that was what Burke had shown her.

She heard someone stepping outside the door behind her and opened her eyes, to see Alexis standing in front of her. His daughter was smiling at her softly and placed her palm on her shoulder.

"I think I'll go see where Pi and Grams are, maybe get some coffee, you want some too?"

Beckett just shook her head no. She wasn't really up for coffee right now.

When Alexis left, she slowly got up and walked into Castles room once again, she paused in the doorframe to just look at him very closely, he laid there, his frame averted from her as he was looking outside of his window. The hospital gown made him look much paler than he actually was and his hair was a mess.

She felt tears glistering in her eyes and gulped heavily.

Castle turned around to her and she saw that he still had trouble moving, from being knocked out for so long and quickly went over to him to assist him.

She met his gaze when he was settled, sitting upright. His smile fell immediately. He reached out his hand to brush her cheek, so much tenderness in this simple gesture.

She felt herself crumble underneath his touch and hot, desperate tears falling from her eyes. Castle took her hand and moved her so that she was sitting right next to him.

He held her hand and drew slow circles on her palm.

They sat like that for a long while in silence, just being with each other for this rare moment of quiet peace and letting go.

"It's all too much Castle" she whispered, so silent, he almost didn't catch it over the beeping of his heart monitor.

She met his eyes again, to find the comfort and unconditional love she was looking for.

He moved to the side, ignoring her confused and worried stare. When he was settled again, he gestured her to lie down beside him. She smiled sadly, tears still wet on her cheeks and moved to do just that.

When they were both laying there comfortably, her head pillowed on his chest, their legs intertwined and his hand still surrounding her smaller one, she finally found the voice to speak.

"We had a training exercise and I was shot during a hostage situation. I miscalculated the situation and the hostage shot me. They used fake blood and all" She had to stop for a minute, the pictures still way too fresh in her mind. She felt him slowly starting to caress her hair. He used to do that a lot when they were in bed together and she found comfort in this natural move and went on talking.

"I was lying there in the concrete and it all came rushing back to me." She didn't need to explain what she meant, judging from the tightening of his hold she knew that he was well aware of what she was talking about.

"I was so scared that day, but then you came and it all got better but then you got poisoned and you were lying there on the ground, and I was just so helpless." She was talking way to fast now, fresh tears falling from her eyes.

"You almost died and it was so much worse than when I was dying, I… oh my god Castle, you can never do anything like that to me again, you..." her words drowned in hysterical sobs.

He tightened their embrace even more and started stroking her back up and down, murmuring non-sense into her ear, telling her how much he loved her and that he was okay, over and over again.

It took her a while to calm down, but when she was able to breathe properly again, she looked up at him, his eyes so warm and blue, the familiarity of it making her feel safe.

He reached down to wipe her tears away, he was so careful as if he could break her.

She leaned into his touch and he gently cupped her cheek before he spoke.

"Kate, I know this is hard, and trust me I don't like this more than you do, but we'll figure this out together, we're partners right? It's what partners do!"

He started to stroke her cheek with his thumb. She looked at him and smiled shyly.

"Yes, it's what partners do."

This time she said it, she knew it was to the right person.

**This one is for Kat. Because she's the Inara to my Kaylee, and because she is amazing and kind and one of my best friends. I love you baby!**

Also: As I want to improve my writing it would be amazing if you could leave reviews and stuff:D Anyways have a lovely time people!


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